For his age and nationality, Pecco Bagnaia was preferred to Johann Zarco as Jack Miller's teammate within the Ducati factory team. His dazzling performances last season were considered more significant than the Frenchman's consistency on a GP19. We must now assume a new status. The Italian is so aware of it that he is already putting pressure on himself…
Pecco Bagnaia is the second pilot of the VR46 academy dear to Valentino Rossi to join MotoGP. Before him, Franco Morbidelli made the track, and both are Champions of the Moto2 mode. However, bagnaia will be the first to come out of the Tavullia ranch to be able to sport a contract placing him in a factory team. As it happens Ducati. A new status which defines another scale of which one must be worthy.
A new environment which also puts a certain pressure. bagnaia knows it and he is the first to recognize it. He says thus: “ as an official Ducati rider I will have more responsibilities ". And all the more so since he must always convince. His podium at Misano certainly decided his destiny, but it remains very light to give certainty. On a checkered 2020 season for him, he comments: “ the situation this year was really strange. Double event on the same track, very little time between one Grand Prix and the next… The season was quite difficult, for the lead, but also for the teams ».
Bagnaia: “I have the whole winter ahead of me to try to grow”
For 2021, he assesses the situation thus, mentioning a technical freeze which will always level the values: “ I think the situation will remain quite similar next year because the bikes are so close now. There is no dominant motorcycle. SO, whoever can adapt to a faster tire can make the difference. And that’s what happened a little this season too. From time to time Yamaha dominated, towards the end it was more Suzuki, in Misano we were incredibly fast... It's very difficult to say anything about next season now ».
But what is certain is that he will have to show another face: “ the ups and downs I have struggled with this year must not be repeated. I will have to adapt more quickly to different situations. It's clear. I have the whole winter ahead of me to try to grow up, to be able to read all these situations " finished bagnaia on speedweek.
We will recall that it is Johann zarco who will settle into a Pramac team which will also welcome the beginner George Martin. The Frenchman, double Moto2 World Champion and more experienced, does not hide his intention to do very well in this satellite team which is less exposed to pressure... Finally, a third rider from the academy will arrive in MotoGP in 2021, in the person of Luca marini, placed at Avintia on a GP19 in Sky colors…
